


The Stressed, The Righteous And Those Who Just Want To Live In Peace

by BlueFluffyDragon



Series: To Kill A Moral Man [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Book of Reality AU, Gen, Magic, Mentions of Spiders, Patton what are you doing, Royalty, just listen to Logan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-13 04:54:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18933850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueFluffyDragon/pseuds/BlueFluffyDragon
Summary: Everybody wants to know where the hell Patton is.....Including Patton





	The Stressed, The Righteous And Those Who Just Want To Live In Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings:  
> Implied death, destruction, cursing.  
> Tell me if I missed something :-)

 "Damm it!" Roman cursed aloud, kicking at the dirt.

The involuntary wince that came over the rest was not a result of the shout or its content, but happened for the fact there was no one there to scold him for it.

"Let's.." Logan tried to hide the lump in his throat with a cough, ending the silence. "Let's go back to the castle" he sighed, meeting Roman's and Virgil's angry glares, "we can't do anything for him here. We need to turn back and think of a strategy".

"No! We need to go after him!" Roman objected, running to where Virgil stood, looking over the edge then turned his head right back to Logan.

"We can't" Virgil shook his head in defeat.

Roman's head whipped back to the sorcerer in an offended surprise.   
"Don't you want to save him?"

"Of course I do! But who knows where he is right now? He can teleport, for crying out loud! He shouldn't be able to do it!" he panicked, "don't you see what this means? The Book's powers go beyond manipulation of our reality! With the powers of the book he could be right at the Snake Man's door step!"

"Virgil, breath" Thomas went forward and joined the rest.

"Roman, they're right" Thomas admitted a few minutes later, turning back to his horse with a defeated hunch to his shoulders.

The three said nothing as they joined him, Virgil glancing back one last time at the large, sun bathed clearing before they were swallowed up by the thick trees once again. 

* * *

 

Back at the castle, they all sat grim and somber, staring at Patton's empty seat.

"To figure out where Patton is, we first need to find the Snake Man, since 'bringing him in' " Logan emphasized the last words using air quotes, "seems to be his primary goal" he laid back the maps on the round table, drawing everyone's attention to them.

"We know that the Snake Man's attacks started approximately a year ago, then suddenly stopped after a month, only to resume a few month back. We know that he attacks mainly on Patton's land but reports suggest that he has ventured farther."

"What was Patton thinking?" Roman pounded on the table, startling the rest. "He was there when we first apprehended the Book, when we fought to save this land from the corrupt hands of that devil! How could he be so foolish as to take The Book? As to  _become_  a villain?!"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend" Thomas sighed from his place at the table.

"Still, has eleven years of peace made him forget all the hardships of the past?" Roman argued.

"It doesn't matter now why he did it," Virgil interjected, "finding him should be our top priority."

"And it is, but to find him we need to find who he's looking for" Logan continued, only to be cut off again.

"No.." Virgil shook his head, "We have no idea if he even knows where the Snake Man is. Even with The Book's powers there's a slim chance he could have teleported right to his doorstep"

"Agreed" Roman joined in, "to find Patton we need to think like Patton"

"How are we supposed to think like Patton?" Logan said with a huff. "He's proven himself to be quite unpredictable" Logan sounded frustrated.

"Patton would want to help people" Thomas croaked. "That's why he did it in the first place. He couldn't watch the villagers suffer any longer by the hands of that man" Thomas looked at the men before him, pulling his hands together in sudden realization.

"Roman, send scouts to the villages on Patton's land, especially to those who were previously attacked. Tell them to report any out of the ordinary experience- anything from the quality of the local food to an unusual rate of disease."

Virgil answered the question on Roman's face, "the Book of Reality has the ability to change reality to its user's will, so it's probably safe to assume that Patton will make the villagers' lives easier, knowingly or not".

Roman nodded in understanding and with a slight bow, walked out the room to follow his orders.

"What do we do in the meantime?" Virgil asked, fidgeting with the sleeves of his cloak.

"Sooner or later, we'll receive information on his whereabouts". Logan tried to sooth him, "whether Patton knows where the Snake Man is or not, we just have to wait."

"Either for good news or a terrible battle" Thomas sighed.

 

* * *

**He was both inside and out.**

**An illusion, yet real.**  
**Real as the sky's color, as the truth on a lier's lips.**  
**The new bond,** _ **it tore him back in.**_

**He raged to escape again.**

* * *

 

Confusion was the first thing Patton felt as he opened his eyes to the unfamiliar dim forest.

Panic was the second emotion that hit him as he remembered the events that occurred mere moments before.

The next thing to hit him was the exhaustion.

"Where am I?" he thought to himself, drugging his tired body up and beginning to walk through the thick forest.

"Is that how Virgil feels every time he uses his magic?" he wondered, working to keep his eyes open, "and here I thought he sleeps late because he has the sleeping schedule of a vampire" he chuckled to himself, remembering Roman's remarks on the subject.

 _It doesn't drain that much energy_ _when it comes from me_ the foreign thought in his head reassured him, as if fearing his first experience with magic will stop him from using it at all.

Instead he was left confused.   
"What do you mean?" Patton asked, the cooling wind brushing against the rustling leaves.

 _The thought_  didn't answer.

Patton moved to check his inner pocket for the book.   
It was still there, a small hidden lump in his coat.

A surge of panic came over him as he jumped away from the small spider crawling over one of the tall trees.

Patton kept a weary eye on it as he walked away, ignoring  _the thought's_  suggestion of making it disappear.

It was only an innocent (terrifying) living creature, after all.

Dragging himself to the edge of the forest, he noticed a sigh of life; a thin chain of smoke could be seen coming out of a small chimney of a wooden cabin bellow the soft purple-blue sky.

Preparing to step up to the house he stopped, taking a big breath before coming to knock on the wooden door, only for it so be slamed open with a dramatic  **BANG** , immediately followed by an invisible force that knocked him back and into the ground.

"Who are you?" a middle aged woman demanded, the palm of her right hand faced toward Patton, forcing him to stay down on the ground.

The strange thought, once only a suggesting force, lunged forward into a  _need_. An urge fuelled by panic to use The Book's powers. It turned into a force that drives one into reckless action without thought.

He could use The Book, Patton knew it very well. The  _thought_  reminded him anyway.   
The alluring power argued to do so. It was  _right_  to do so.   
She could be dangerous,  _she IS dangerous._  He could knock the lady back into her house, he could turn her cabin into ash. He could.

**_You should._ **

He didn't.

He lay down instead, surrendering to the burning eyes of the woman.

"I am the lord of the south of King Thomas's kingdom," he showed her the crest on his shirt that laid above his heart, "though I suppose it doesn't matter now" a wave of sadness washed over him.

Under her careful watch, he rose to a sitting position on the leafy ground.

"You can call me Patton" he stretched his hand to a shake.

She didn't take it.

With a suspicious look the woman continued, "what are you?"

Baffled, "excuse me?" he asked.

"I know king Thomas allows a sorcerer to serve in his court, but you are definitely not that sorcerer". Her eyebrows narrowed in suspicion, waiting for Patton's answer.

"No.. I don't think I'm a sorcerer"

"Then what are you?" she repeated in an intrigued voice at his honest confusion, a question that Patton did not entirely believe intended for him this time.

"Can I ask you a question?" Patton drew her attention back after a few quiet moments of silence. 

A slow nod of approval was all he needed before continuing, "could you tell me where I am? And why did you ask about what I am?"

She looked at him, her eyes narrowing in consideration.   
"I am going to release you now, but if you try the slightest trick, the most minor attempt at an attack, I will not hesitate to blow off your head. Am I clear?" she asked, then added with a sarcastic tone, "my lord."

"No problem," Patton swallowed against the intimidation, "there'll be no need for head blowing today" he joked, fake cheer wavering with nervousness.

She analyzed him for a few more seconds before letting her hand down and gesturing for him to get inside the house.

With a silent groan, Patton got up and walked up to the cabin, the woman following behind.

Patton stepped inside the cabin and looked around.

To his right there was a small kitchen, next to a stairway.   
To his left was the living room, decorated with a comfy looking light gray sofa, in front of a small table and a purple armchair.

"Sit" the woman instructed after leading him toward the living room.

Glad to rest, Patton sat down at the sofa in front of the armchair.

"Would you like anything to drink?" she offered, flickering her wrist to the kitchen behind her.   
Her voice wasn't as sharp now, though her eyes didn't lose their edge.

"That would be wonderful, thank you" Patton smiled at her.   
"Would you like some help with that?"

"No, no," she declined to Patton's relief, "you clearly need rest. Whatever magic you used properly drained you."

A shriek of the kettle drew her back to the kitchen.  
The comforting smell of tea filled the cabin as she returned a few seconds later with two steamy mugs.

"Thank you" Patton accepted the mug with a grateful smile.   
"How did you know I used magic?" he queried unprompted . "Do all magic users know when someone uses magic?"

"Not exactly," she answered, sitting on the armchair in front of him.   
The corner of her mouth seemed to twich up at the question.

"You see, my home is not an easy place to find.   
But as I always say: "magic goes to magic", so whatever transportation spell you casted probably landed you right next to my protective wards."

He nodded, taking a sip from the steamy mug, "where are we? Are we still in Thomas's- the king's kingdom?"

"we're in the southern part of his kingdom" she nodded. "Now for my questions; are you human?"

"Yes"

"Are you a sorcerer? A witch? A wizard? Or any other kind of magic user?"

"I don't think so"

"So how is it possible that you walked past my wards?" she leaned in, "There are only two kinds of people who can do so- those I allow in and those I can't stop. I certainly did not allow you in and there are very few people who hold enough power to pass through. So I ask again, how did you do it?"

A chilling impression made him feel like she already knew. Like she was merely giving him the choice to confess.

It felt like a test.

" I-" he hesitated, "I can't say" Patton shuffled his feet, aware of the book inside his pocket.

She narrowed her eyes at him, the dawning sun shining through a small window and catching her attention.

"I can't accept this answer" she said, hiding that she's in a hurry beneath a stern voice. "Please understand, this is a matter of life and death, of my safety. I simply can't allow it" she put down her mug and stood up, maintaining eye contact.

"Will you tell me how you gained the power to cross through?"   
A second chance.

"I'm sorry" patton broke away to look at the floor.

"I see," she sighed. "I have matters to attend to for now. You can sleep in the room of the second floor, down the hallway."

Surprised, Patton stood up as well, "thank you" he smiled and headed to the room, climbing the stairs.

The room was familiar.   
Not in any way that would make him think that he's been in there before, and yet it felt familiar. Perhaps in its decoration?   
It wasn't important.

He moved to the window, opening the dark curtains to look at the waxing moon above.  
"She's been so kind to me and yet I lie to her. She had the right to know she's helping a villain" he argued with his moral compass.   
"She-" he stopped, realizing he doesn't even know her name.

"She gave me a place to sleep and I didn't even ask for her name" his palm smacked his forehead.

A long sigh and closed curtains later, he began to get ready for bed.

"I'll ask her in the morning" he decided, letting his exhausted body drop on the bed, The Book safely hidden under the pillow.

A movement on the ceiling caught his tired eyes, fighting his heavy eyelids at the sight of the new threat.

 _Rest and let me handle it_  the thoughts relaxed his body.

"Ok" Patton whispered, falling into the darkness.

The spider on the ceiling, once a living creature, was no more.

* * *

 

Patton woke up to the smell of eggs and fresh bread.

Ge took a long sniff, chuckling at his rumblings stomach.

He threw on his clothes and combed a few stray strands of curly hair with his fingers in front of the mirror.

Looking at the crest on his chest, he felt the guilt bubble up.   
Reaching up and tearing it off, Patton took a second to look at it, to remind himself of the family he left behind and the trust he betrayed.

He pushed down those sorrowful feelings, shoving the crest into his pocket next to The Book, then walked out of the room and into the kitchen.

He watched her scrambling eggs, giving himself a second before asking to help her.

"You can set the table. Everything you'll need is in there" she pointed at the cupboard behing her.

He nodded, then got to work.

"I'm sorry for being impolite yesterday, I realized I didn't ask for your name" he said later, as they both sat down to eat.

"It's Val" she replied, taking a bite of bread.

"I have another question" he hesitantly said.

She nodded, gesturing him to continue.

"If doing magic takes about the same energy as doing the task yourself," he tried to remember what Virgil told them, "why didn't you use magic to make breakfast?"

"It makes you lazy" she answered easily, as if she has heard this question a million times before.  
"It would take about as much energy as standing up to bake the bread or scramble the eggs but you won't actually do the activity" she shrugged.   
"It's a funny little paradox," Val waved her fingers, "if you use magic to do everything, the amount of effort to regularly do the thing raises which means you put more energy in it and lose a larger amount of energy using your magic to do it" she concluded.

"It's good that you know about the energy exchange so that you'll never attempt the teleportation spell again. It nearly sucked you dry" she lectured.  
"Teleportation is for emergencies only" she shook her finger at the eating man before her.

"Ugh look at me, falling back into habit" she shook her head.

"What do you mean?" Patton asked softly.

"I used to have.." she paused to think of the right word, "an apprentice" the word seemed to leave a bitter taste in her mouth.  
"He was like- he was my son," she corrected herself, "But now he's gone and would probably consider his relation to me an offense" she sighed.

"I'm sorry for your lost" he said in a quiet voice.

"Oh he's not dead," she leaned back in her chair, "he just left and never bothered to reach out to his old woman" she said with a shrug and a bitter chuckle.   
"He might as well have stormed out- his head filled with sudden nonsense righteousness" she shook her head in the kind of sadness that only a wound that healed into regret could make you feel.

"I'm sorry to hear that" he gave her a soft look. Why don't you reach out to him yourself?"

"Oh I should," Val took a bite, "I have a good reason to do so, though I don't believe he'd be happy to hear from me"

"It can be your chance to reconnect" Patton offered.

The only answer he received was a sad nod.

* * *

 

They walked side by side to the edge of the protective "bubble", so to speak.

It has been a few hours after breakfast. Patton had helped her clean while being yet again interrogated on his new found powers, keeping a stubborn silence.

"I really do need to go" he said to her then, as the fire of his mission hadn't lost its flame.

It took another long studious look from her piercing eyes that made  _the_   _thought_  in his head protest and an agreement to cast a spell on him that will alert her when he's around to allow him to leave.

They crossed the protected edge, just one step out of it.   
Patton stopped in his tracks, watching Val who began to search for something in her pockets.

"Agh!" she uttered triumphantly, pulling out a scroll tied in a neat purple bow.

Patton watched as the scroll seemed to vanish in the air.

She swayed in her place, losing her balance for a second before regaining it again.

"Are you okay?" Patton asked in concern, stepping towards her with his hand out in case she needs him for balance.

"I'm not that old yet, " she shooed him away, "those teleportation spells take a lot out of you" she straightened then faced him with a serious face.

"Don't make me regret letting you go" she said with a stern, yet fond, expression, putting her hand out for a shake.

"wouldn't dream of it" he took her hand, smiling despite the foreign thought that whispered all the ways he could defend himself if she chooses to attack again.

With a final shake and a nod they separated, Patton walking towards the village ahead and Val watching him go before turning back to the safety of her home.

A rustle and scranch of leaves from behind him made Patton turn his head back toward Val, who gave a back and forth wave without looking back.

"funny wave" he said to himself before turning back to the road.

 

* * *

 

 The four sat quietly, eating a late breakfast, or "brunch" as Roman liked to say to Logan's dismay (or perhaps especially because of it).

They had worked on ways to find Patton and the Snake Man to no avail. It seemed like Virgil couldn't trace The Book's magic, as if its presence was hidden from onlookers.

Logan's calculations and educated guesses were of not much help either as they were, in his words, 'mere guesses that could lead to a waste of time'.

And so, they decided to wait for the scouts before making any move.

The quite, however, did not last long as a scroll popped up from the air and landed directly on Virgil's head.

"Goddammit you annoying old-" Virgil yelped out of habit, stopping as nostalgia caught up to reality.

His yelp drew the attention of the rest who looked at him expectedly as he gathered himself and read through the scroll, eyes darting back and forth with the words: 

 

 

 

 

> "I believe a friend of yours paid me a visit yesterday, dear.   
>  It's time you'd do so as well"

 

"What does it say?" Roman asked expectedly.

Closing the scroll and releasing a long breath he looked at the others, "we have a lead on Patton".

"How?" Both Roman and Thomas called out, the enthusiasm clear in their voice as Logan requested Virgil to elaborate in a calm yet expecting manner.

"It's a message from an old..." he stopped, considering the nature of their relationship.  
They were so close then, like mother and son.

But that was a long time ago.

He lost the chance to be her son when he walked out that door.

"It's an invitation from my old mentor" he tried again, trying to ignore how long it has been since he'd heard from her.   
And how much that hurt.

"I think Patton paid her a visit" he finished, slumping back in his chair.

"Goodness gracious, what are the odds?" Thomas breathed out a laugh.

"Indeed. It does seem improbable that Patton would meet Virgil's mentor" Logan agreed, "not that I doubt it" he was quick to add after the pointed look Virgil sent him.

"Who cares about what's probable?" Roman stood up, throwing his hands in the air.   
"We finally know where Patt it! Or at least where he's been!" he shouted triumphantly, fists above his head in a dramatic theatrical gesture.

"It's been a long time since you saw this person, has it not?" Logan addressed Virgil, making a pointed effort to ignore Roman's little celebration.

"Not since I joined you" he nodded.

"Then this person might not live in the same place as you last saw them"

"Oh she still lives there" Virgil mock snorted, "I bet she didn't even change the curtains" he rolled his eyes.   
"But to get there will take us about a week and who knows where Patton will be by then" he added with a frown.

"Can't you just.. I don't know.. use your magic to get us there?" Roman wiggled his fingers at the sorcerer.

"Not without dying I can't" Virgil retorted, "I can shorten the trip by a day or two but it will leave me too tired to go after Patton right after we talk to her"

"It's settled then" Thomas faced them with a smile in his eyes, "we're going to find Patton!"

"Sorry to 'cut the celebration short' as they say, but  _us_?" Logan turned to Thomas.

"Oh don't fear the journey Mr. Gloomy Gus Teacher! It would be fun!" Roman boasted.

"No, it is not what I-" Logan stopped to take in an irritated breath.

"Thomas," he addressed the king, "you cannot abstain from your duty as the sole ruler of this kingdom to go on this potentially extremely dangerous mission".

Thomas stopped short of protesting, knowing it wouldn't work to his advantage. Instead, he took a minute to think before opening his mouth to explain his plan.

"As third to the throne and head of the tactic team I'll appoint Joan as temporary ruler until I or Roman would come back.  
As second in command," he continued before Logan could object to his leaving again, "Valarie could replace Roman as head of the army while he's gone and you can choose whoever would replace you," Thomas tried to get him on board, "if you want to join this mission, of course" he added.

A sigh of defeat, then a moment of silence later Logan decided, "since it seems like I wouldn't be able to stop you from going, I recommend Talyn to take my place in my absence. They would make a fine replacement."

"Joan would hate this plan" Virgil laughed from his chair.

Virgil was, indeed, right.

Two hours of continuous "what the fuck?" featuring several reasons to why he shouldn't go, backed by Logan, and some additional few reasons from Talyn, later and Joan admitted defeat.

They agreed to take over Thomas's position for the time being, not without making jokes about how Thomas made it so easy for them to commit a coup.

"All of that planning.. just for him to hand us over the kingdom" Joan and Talyn played a dramatic scene that fitted better at a theater than at a throne room.

Smiling fondly at the pair, Thomas walked away to the stables, ready to start the journey toward Patton.

Once there, he thanked the stable boy and took the leather lead from him.

Turning around, he was met with the faces of Roman, Logan and Virgil- all ready for the journey, horses in hand.

"It's a five days trip by horse to the closest village to Virgil's previous home, from which Virgil will teleport us to his mentor" Logan reminded them once Thomas joined them.

"Ugh we already know the plan, Teach. Can we go already?" Roman stroked his brown horse.

"Yeah let's go" Thomas was quick to diffuse the situation once he saw Logan's irritated face.

"Finally" the four hopped on the horses backs and rode down the worn down path.

 

* * *

 

When Patton first reached the village, he was excited.  
The people, the colorful fabrics, the fresh smell of bread- he was excited for it all.  
It had been weeks since he'd been in a street market, since he'd visited the people under his care.

Instead, he was met with silence and ruins.

Wandering the abounded town, Patton called out for anyone, hoping there's still but a single soul left, to no avail.

The streets were empty, the houses collapsed on themselves, the silence ruled the area.

"You're new" a smooth voice called from behind Patton.

He turned around quickly in alarm, locking eyes with the tall man before him.

The man was leaning on what was left of the burnt wall of a house, his eyes covered with slightly blackened glasses.

"Oh you scared me there, kiddo" Patton smiled at him.

"My name is Patton, what is yours?" Patton tried to suppress the unexpected nervousness that washed over him.

Something about the man made him uneasy, his weariness growing at the pleased smirk that spread across the stranger's face.

The man didn't respond, letting the wind blow through the empty streets of the once busy town. 

"Where is everyone? What happened here?" Patton tried again.

"An attack" the man finally sighed.   
"I assume you've heard of the man who's been attacking the area."

Patton nodded, "we've been calling him The Snake Man".

"That's a good name" the dark haired chuckled, "suits him".

"You've seen him?"

"Sweetie, I was here when he made the villagers destroy their own homes. I don't know what he did to himself, but that scaley manipulator really messed up his face" he stood up straight, walking away and gesturing Patton to follow him.

Patton ran to match his steps with the stranger as the other continued to talk.

"Everyone went into hiding after the attack, not that they really have a place to live anymore" he waved his hands around, indicating the ruined homes around them.

"You have a few late night parties with them and suddenly they all come to seek shelter at  _my_  cave instead of walking for a day or so to the next town over" he scoffed.   
"Well not  _all_ , just those I let in. The nice ones" he added the last line at Patton's disapproving look.

"Whatever girl" he huffed and kicked the rubble on the ground when the disapproving look didn't vanish, "they were desperate and I gave some of them a shelter without even making a deal".

"A deal?" he asked before taking in the full look of the man before him in the sunlight.

The almost gray skin, the pointy ears behind dark-blue hair, the darkened glasses that disguised his eye color.

"You're a faerie" Patton whispered in realization as the pieces fell into place, stopping in his tracks.

"Yap"

"And I gave you my name" Patton slaped a hand on his face before hurrying to catch up.

"Yap," amused this time.

"Are we going to your cave?" Patton asked, reaching the beginning of the forest after a few long silent moments.

The fae hummed a conformation.

They continued to walk, the solitary fae humming a tune to himself as they reached his noisy home.

The cave was split into three sections, going deeper into the mountain, separated by the cave's walls.

Patton peaked into the first wide inner cave through its short tunnel. tens of people made residents there, each makeshift home separated itself from the rest with wide cloths and bedsheets.

Those who noticed the two waved or gave a polite nod of the head to the fae who sometimes returned the gesture.

 _'you can save all of them'_  the foreign thought purred in his head.

"I can save all of them" he repeated aloud to the tall fae on his side.

The fae looked around, unsatisfied with the people around.   
Leading Patton to the third, the smallest inner cave of the three.

"What did you say?" the fae asked once they truly were alone, his eyes as big as a full moon.

"I can give them their homes back!" Patton exclaimed with a grin.

"What about the non humans? Can you give them their homes back as well so that they can finally leave with the rest?"

"The non humans?" Patton asked, puzzled.

"Not every person who lived in the village is human" the fae clarified.

"Of course I can. I mean, if they were part of the neighborhood it wouldn't be right to just leave them here"

The fae smiled in relief then walked out to the hall of the cave.

"Yo, listen up" he called out, the room silenced intently.

"Tell everyone to pack their bags, you're going home" he said, winking at Patton.   
"You have two hours, don't overstay your welcome" he finished with a hint of warning.

The room turned busy, people rushing to pack their remaining belongings in excitement and trepidation.

"You Didn't ask about the identity of the non humans" the fae remarked two hours later, as they lead the long line of people back to the village.

"It's non of my business" Patton shrugged and smiled at the man, taking a bite of the bread one of the villagers offered him before they left the cave.

The fae returned the smile, "I like you".

"Ohh that's sweet! I like you too" he extended his arm for a sidelong hug.

The fae rolled his eyes before leaning into the other's side.

They walked side by side for the rest of the trip, reaching the ruined village

Taking a long breath, Patton glanced back at the expecting eyes behind him.

 _'You can do it'_  a thought of slick reassurance slithered into his head. One that was not his.

"I believe in you, gurl" the fae pat his shoulder before taking a step back.

Another long breath.   
Patton looked at the rubble before him.   
He saw the collapsed rooftops, the shattered glass, the burnt walls, the tilted windows.

He thought about the people behind him and those who didn't live to stand behind him. The pain they endured, all that they lost.

He felt the weight on his shoulders, the responsibility he had as the lord of this land for those people.

He raised his hand, his eyes glowing bright blue, matching the clearing sky above him.

The rubble raised from the ground, fixing itself back on the houses.

Patton knew that voices picked up behind him, whispering in owe and alarm, but his mind was buzzing with static.

He felt at peace, the strange thought guiding him through the motion.

It wasn't like last time, when the magic drained him of all his energy.   
This time it was like a slow stream, the energy slowly trickling away.

He lowered his hand as the last piece came into place, tired but not exhausted.

 _'Thanks to me'_  the thought assured him.

The people began to filtered back to their homes.   
Unsure at first, then faster as they realized they have their lives back.

Patton looked in confusion at their weary expressions as they passed by him, keeping their distance.

Patton knew he wasn't a threat.  
They didn't seem to agree.

"Thank you" the fae said as he came back to stand near Patton, not noticing the slight frown on his face.   
"They're finally out of my house and I'm free to do whatever I want again" he cheered, wrapping his arm around Patton's shoulders.

"Just doing what's right" he replied with a fake cheer.

"Come on, don't be modest gurl," he squeezed Patton's shoulder, "I know it's temporary, but at least I would finally be able to get some rest before they come crawling back after the next attack"

"That won't happen. I'll put a stop to it before he'll get the chance" Patton exclaimed with a determined look.

 _The thought_  was satisfied.

The fae raised an eyebrow at the declaration.

"You know what?" he turned to stand in front of him and took his hands, "if you need help, play this under a tree and ask for Remy" he pulled his hands away, leaving a wooden flute in his hands.

"Thank you, Remy" Patton smiled at him in gratitude.

"I don't know exactly where he is but I heard he was seen near the hollow castle. It's like a week on foot if you take your time, but if you get a horse on the next town over you can probably get there in a day or two" Remy proposed.

"I better go" Patton said, "I want to reach there before nightfall"

"Oh don't you worry about the dark darling, I'll ask the shadow people to keep you safe" Remy dismissed his worries.

"oh- um thank you" Patton tried to keep his apprehension off his face.

"No problem" Remy smiled as Patton pulled him into a goodbye hug.

Looking back at the waving Remy before he disappeared back into the forest, Patton continued down the road, away from the newly rebuild village, toward the next one.

After he was sure he was truly alone, Patton Pulled out The Reality Book and skimmed through the pages, the midday passing as he looked between the spells and history written and illustrated all throughout The Book.

He stopped browsing, his fingers stroking the torn paper at the base of The Book.

He closed The Book then, noticing a black mass on the corner of his eyes.

Slipping The Book back into his inner pocket, he hurried his steps, the sun slowly sinking below the horizon as he entered the town.

Patton picked up a rock from the side of the road, turning it into gold before walking into the small inn at the entrance of the town.

"Do you have any free rooms?" he aaked after greeting the teenager sitting at the desk before him.

"Depends. Do you have money to pay for it?" the teen raised an eyebrow.

Instead of responding, Patton handed over the gold piece.

The teen straightened in surprise, before giving Patton the keys to his room.

"Breakfast is served between 6am to 8am" the blonde boy said as Patton bid him goodnight and walked up the stairs to his room. 

 

* * *

 

Another nervous glance passed between Logan and Virgil.

Ever since he and Thomas came back from hunting, their supply running thin after two days of riding, they would glance at each other, then look straight forward before any of the others could catch them.   
Did they actually believe they were being subtle?

It was driving Roman insane.

"Alright you two, spit it out" Roman turned his horse to a stop in front of the others before dismounting it, the rest doing the same.

"I don't believe I have anything in my mouth"

"It's a figure of speech, Logan" Thomas moved his horse to stand by Roman.

"Spit what out?" Virgil denied, sending another nervous glance at Logan beside him.

"This is what I'm talking about!" Roman waved his hands to gesture between the two. "You and specs have been worrying about something. So come on, share it with the group"

"Roman.." Thomas tried to sooth the tension, implying Roman to not pressure the two.

"Virgil and I have been talking," Logan looked at the royals, "about what we should do if we find Patton"

" _When_  we find Patton" Roman corrected.

"Sure"

Roman decided against replying and settled for a scowl instead.

"What I am trying to say is that when we find Patton," Virgil suddenly focused on fiddling with his sleeves, "we might not be able to get him back without a fight".

"The Book could have corrupted him by now" Virgil added before either two could object.

"So what do you suggest? That we'll have to hurt him? Do you really believe  _Patton_  will hurt us?" Roman bristled.

"Princy slow down," Thomas put a hand on his arm, "we wouldn't hurt Patton".

"We might not have a choice" Logan protested.

"You know there's only one way to stop a villain once they've been corrupted" Virgil almost whispered the inconceivable action.

"No" Thomas breathed out, leaning away from them, as if to run from Virgil's proposal.

"No!" Roman shouted, stepping forward and pointing at the sorcerer. "No! Don't even think about it!" he shook his head as if trying to be rid of the meaning behind the whisper.

"You can deny it all you want, but we both know what must be done if we don't find him in time!" Virgil stepped forward as well, standing so close to Roman he could see his desperation.

He wondered if Roman can see his as well.

"We can break the curse!" Roman wasn't ready to give up on Patton.  
He was their friend.   
Their family.

"No one has done it before" Virgil's voice cracked, losing his resolve.

"We will" Roman promised the others.

 

An empty promise. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This just kept getting longer and longer...  
> I already have drafts for the next two parts and will have time to actually do something with them real soon:-)


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